The Reason I Exist
by corneroffandom
Summary: After one of Enzo's promos, Cass finds that he's a little bit unsettled.


Enzo's promos tend to take awhile for Cass to pull apart, piece back together, digest enough to make sense of. In the moment, he listens just well enough to make sense of what he himself needs to say to back the other man up, but it's not until later that he tries to figure out his tag partner's rapid fire insults.

So it takes awhile for him to even get to the part of Enzo's latest promo that had bugged Cass almost from the moment he'd heard it. Something about Enzo's reason for existing was because his mom and dad got it on. Which, yeah, obvious, but still. Cass frowns and picks at his lips as he thinks about it all.

It's too simplistic. Someone as loud and ridiculous as 'Zo, he has to have a better reason than _that_ to exist, right? There are moments- have been moments since they were playing basketball as kids- when Cass looks over, sometimes while preparing Enzo for Air Enzo or any other offensive moves they do in the ring, feels the rush of adrenaline that he always gets when they're winning, and thinks _This is why I do what I do_. Or when they're driving from town to town and he glances over to find Enzo asleep, fingers tapping against his leg even while he's out, and smiles, feeling fulfilled and calm.

Tagging with Enzo is one of the most frustrating, incredible things he's ever done in his life, and he wonders if, out of everything, Enzo doesn't feel the same- about him, about wrestling, about music or sneakers or cars or pizza or... In the end, is it possible for such a vibrant man to feel so empty about _everything?_

He's so lost in thought that he doesn't hear the shower turn off, or the door open, or Enzo pad into the main room where he proceeds to dry his hair off, humming under his breath. It's not until he's done and dressed that Cass realizes he's not alone, looking up to find Enzo staring at him with his eyebrows raised and a curious smirk on his lips. "Whatcha doin', Cass? Daydreamin' somethin' fierce over there?" But Cass looks so solemn that Enzo frowns too. "What's wrong, big guy?"

He joins him at the table and Cass examines him, takes in his wide blue eyes, the interesting muscular structure of his face, and his dyed hair before swallowing hard. "'Zo. Your promo earlier-"

"Was on fire, wasn't I?" he asks, lips quirking up into a bright grin. "Those Dudleys-" Cass stops his hand flapping by resting one of his large palms over both of Enzo's fists, stilling him immediately. "Cass, ya're kinda freakin' me out right now."

"You know why I exist?" Cass asks, watching as Enzo shakes his head minutely. "I exist for this, to be your tag partner. To go to work every day and get one step closer to holdin' those WWE tag belts alongside you. To have your back against guys like the Dudleys and New Day and anyone else the world throws at us." He squeezes Enzo's hands and shrugs. "That's why I gotta say it kinda threw me when you said the reason you exist is 'cause of your parents." Enzo's lips part like he's about to say something but Cass shakes his head. "Ain't there more, Zo? Anythin' at all? Music, or sneakers, or-"

Enzo abruptly shifts his hands, cradling Cass' much larger hand between his own. Rolls his eyes in fond impatience. "Course there's more, Cass! But ya think I'm gonna tell _them_ that? It was a throw away line. I ain't stupid enough to give 'em ammo against me in the future. There's so much I exist for, big guy, I almost gotta keep a list to keep it all straight." His grin is bright and honest as he shakes his head at Cass. "And at the top'a that list is exactly what you just said. Bein' tag champs, makin' up for all that went wrong in NXT. Keepin' _you_ outta trouble." Cass rolls his eyes but can't help a short bark of laughter as Enzo scrapes his nails down Cass' palm. "Ya ain't gotta worry about me, Cass. I'm good. Great, even. And have been ever since some lumbering 7 foot dude made his way back into my life."

"I do not lumber," Cass grouses, unable to stop the pleasant flush covering his face despite his crankiness.

"Sure ya do." Enzo chuckles and pulls his hand away, Cass' eyes following him as he tries to ignore how cold his fingers feel all of a sudden. "Wanna see what dumb movie we can find to watch tonight?"

"Sure," Cass says off of a sigh, getting up and following his friend. Ignoring Enzo's grumbling, he leans over and snags the remote from him before he can get comfortable on the couch. "I'm picking though."


End file.
